Former Dunkirk resident working on new projects

July 14, 2014

Recording and producing music has evolved over the past decades and local native Chris Poland has seen it first-hand. Poland, a former Megadeth band member and current member of OHM, has been in the music industry for over two decades.

Poland was in the original lineup of Megadeth from 1983 to 1987. He and fellow Dunkirk resident, the late Gar Samuelson, both moved to California to pursue careers in music. Poland said he and Samuelson had the same manager as fellow Megadeth member Dave Mustaine and they "fell into playing" with the band. Poland played guitar on the band's "Killing is my Business" and "Peace Sells" albums.

In the early 2000s, Poland formed OHM and the band has recorded several albums. The band has been working on several upcoming projects, including recording new music. OHM will be working with Rob Lamothe of The Riverdogs, who Poland met during a music clinic in Rochester. Lamothe will travel to Poland's home studio in Los Angeles in the upcoming month to record new music. Ever since being connected with Lamothe, the two have been exchanging music. The new material may be unexpected to fans and is not what OHM has been doing the past decade, Poland added.

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Photo by Rob Shay Dunkirk native and former Megadeth drummer Chris Poland is working on new projects with his new band, OHM.

"(Lamothe) has got a great voice and that's why I was interested to see what we could do with him. He wasn't afraid of us doing our quirky kind of OHM thing ... We don't just want to do formula pop music ...," Poland said in a phone interview.

The band will take the tracks recorded with Lamothe and release them if they "have some legs," according to Poland. Another project OHM is working on is a live album. The band recently recorded a live album but decided to not release the album in its entirety; only select songs will be released as bonus tracks. The band has plans to record another live album in the fall in front of an audience.

One thing Poland has noticed is how recording and producing music is a much difference process from the 1980s. Many people currently will send files back and forth across the country which has cut down the recording process significantly, according to Poland.

"When we were in Megadeth, we could play the music, but as far as gear and tone and how to make a record, we really weren't up on that. All of this has come a long way as far as knowing how to produce and make records," he said. "People forget what a vinyl record sounds like or even a tape. You start to listen to these records and it's so digital."

Since he is a Chautauqua County native, Poland would love to do a show locally. He said he has not visited in 10 years, but would plan a local show the next time he is in the area.

Any music from the live album or working with Lamothe will be released on the band's iTunes pages.